


won't ever let you go

by saltandshore



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Age Difference, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Hand wavey canon, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pre-Infinity War, Promise, but peter is legal, haven't decided - Freeform, maybe infinity war just doesn't exist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-26 22:46:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18726388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltandshore/pseuds/saltandshore
Summary: After everything they've been through, life finally feels good. Peaceful, even.Until, of all the things, a bank robbery is what brings it all crumbling down.





	1. hold on

**Author's Note:**

> This is my half fix it, half needed angst with a happy ending fic after being emotionally destroyed by endgame. Un-beta'd. Comments make my lifeeeeee.

Aside from the usual buzz of his lab, the AC/DC playing in the background, and FRIDAYs occasional input, things around the tower have been blessedly quiet. Everyone is where they belong: the Avengers each occupying their own rooms and floors, relentlessly annoying each other over breakfast every morning and dinner every night, and dutifully going out to kick ass when required.

Tony genuinely tries not to think about it too much just in case the universe somehow hears that they're finally relatively peaceful and decides to fuck with them. But things are finally... good. Really good.

His life, he feels, has finally fallen into place. And truthfully, he's got one person to thank for it.

It's been 8 years since Berlin, since Peter first unofficially joined the team. 8 years since the day the young man had stumbled into Tony's life and changed it forever. He and Pepper had finally called it quits - amicably - for good, and Tony had probably been a little too keen on throwing himself into something that would distract him from the end of his long term relationship. That thing had been Spider-Man. Peter Parker, the bright eyed, too brave, fiercely kind, incredibly smart 15 year old from Queens. 

He had worked his way into Tony's life, and now the older man can't imagine it without him.

Of course, their relationship has changed a lot over the years - from mentor/mentee when Peter was 15, to friends and equals when he was 18 (which is when he finally ditched the 'Mr. Stark' bit unless he was teasing him), and finally - and Tony always catches himself smiling when he thinks of it - to more when Peter turned 21. It had been a long time coming, both of them (and everyone else) knew, but Tony still found himself dumbstruck when, at the end of a long night of celebrating Peter's birthday, the younger man had turned to him.

 _You said I could have anything I wanted for my birthday_ , he had said, looking out onto the city from the balcony, the lights of New York making his brown eyes shine. _Did you mean it?_

 _Of course I did_ , he had replied, looking at his profile. His heart had felt like it was going to pound out of his chest, and that feeling has yet to go away. 

Peter had straightened up, turning to face him. The set of his jaw had been determined, brave. 

 _Then I want you, Tony. I want all of you - the good parts, the broken parts, all of it. And -_ he had held up his hand - _I don't want to hear about how you think I deserve better, or that I deserve someone my own age, or someone whole. Because none of that - and I mean this - could ever hold a candle to you._

He had taken a step closer, the cool air around them seeming to still impossibly as Tony watched him move.

_It's about time, don't you think?_

And that was all it took for Tony to take his face in his hands and kiss him, a soft sound leaving Peter's lips as they pressed together, seemingly desperate to make up for lost time.

Natasha had whistled loudly from inside the living room, everyone smiling ear to ear. Tony had pulled back just enough to press their foreheads together, the two of them smiling. About time was right.

That was 2 years ago now, and Tony wakes up every day to a fucking _angel_ in his bed and a smile on his face. He's the luckiest bastard in the universe, and life is finally, blessedly, good. He smiles down at the gauntlet he's tinkering with, shoulders relaxing.

Which, of course, is when FRIDAY promptly announces that everything has gone to shit.

"Tony, police presence detected 2.9 seconds ago at MetroBank, Manhattan, New York. Peter Parker GPS located within 100 feet."  
  
Tony drops the tools he's holding, immediately pulling up a holoscreen.  
  
"Get me visuals, FRIDAY, now," he snaps, heart thundering in his chest as the screen fills with CCTV live footage from the inside of the bank. It doesn't take him long to spot Peter because he's holding his hands out in front of him in surrender while bodily blocking a mother and child behind him. Three armed robbers point loaded weapons at the cowering crowd.

" _Let's just talk this out,_ " Peter's voice comes through the closed circuit audio. " _No one needs to get hurt, okay? Let's just take a minute._ "  
  
" _Shut the fuck up!_ " One of them snaps, pointing his gun square at Peter's chest. The mother kneeling behind Peter clutches her child closer, a scared sob sounding out. " _Shut the fuck up or you'll be the first to go!_ "

" _Okay, okay -_ " Peter says calmly, unmoving from where he blocks the pair behind him.

"No suit detected," FRIDAY informs him. "Suit location, Avengers Tower repair lab."

"Fuck. FRIDAY, coordinates. Alert everyone else," Tony feels like he could be sick as he runs to the balcony, the nanotech already whirring around him as the suit overtakes him. Not Peter. Not his Peter.

He hits propulsors at full speed, following the coordinates to the bank. He can see the lights and hear the sirens, a SWAT van tearing up the road to the bank as he approaches.

"Tony, shots fired .9 seconds ago at MetroBank," FRIDAY informs him. "Peter Parker vitals abnormal, heart rate high -"  
  
"No, _no_ -" Tony wastes no time with a graceful landing or a greeting for the police. He blows in the doors, using the resulting explosion as distraction enough to hit the armed men hard with shots to the shoulders and chest. They collapse like houses of cards, but Tony doesn't notice because -

Because Peter is on the floor, cradled in the lap of the mother who had been behind him, and there's - _God_ , there's so much blood -

He runs to him, skidding onto his knees next to him as the mask glides away from his face.

"FRIDAY, we need medics," he says, voice breaking. His gaunlets slide back as he gently touches Peter's face with one hand, the other pressing against the hole in his chest, blood seeping through his fingers.

The woman cradling Peter's head sobs. "He - my daughter tried to run, and I couldn't catch her in time and he - god, he saved her life -"

"Medics incoming," FRIDAY supplies.

Peter makes a pained sound at the pressure Tony applies, chest heaving as he looks up at Tony, eyes unfocused.  
  
"Hey, hey," Tony whispers, desperately blinking back tears. "Sweetheart, look at me. I'm here, we're going to get you help, it's going to be okay -"

Peter reaches up, hand clumsily cupping Tony's jaw. "Tony," he croaks, lips twitching in a little smile. His teeth are red, and there's blood in his mouth. "Love you. M'sorry."  
  
Tony shakes his head, tears spilling as a broken sound leaves him. "No, Pete, hey - sorry means this is over and this isn't over, okay? You hear me? You're going to be okay. We're going to be alright, I'm going to bring you home -"

The medics rush in then, shouting about gun shot wounds to the chest, moving in a blur of motion around them.  
  
"Mr. Stark, we need you to move back -" one of them says, moving in to apply a thick pad of gauze where Tony's hand is. He's in a daze, pulling his bloody hand from Peter's chest, watching the gauze turn scarlet.  
  
"Peter Parker vitals critical," FRIDAY informs him, her voice quieter.  
  
"Sweetheart, hold on -" Tony begs, hands shaking as the medics lift Peter onto a rolling gurney and rush him out to the ambulance. He follows them out at a run, the suit peeling back as he gets into the back of the ambulance with them.

They peel out, sirens screaming as they fly down the roads. The medics work frantically, moving quickly as they push needles into Peter's arms. One of them straddles Peter's torso, pressing down against the wound.

"He's losing too much blood -"

"Let ER know we need rapid response at the door -"

It's a blur, like some nightmare come to life as he watches Peter's skin go pale, eyes drooping shut. He has no idea how long it takes them to get to the hospital, because it feels like hours and seconds all at once before they're rushing Peter out of the ambulance, a team of doctors waiting at the door and rushing him in.

And then he's alone, suddenly, sharply. He's alone, bloody and standing in the bay of the Metro-General ER. He manages to take two steps before his knees give out and he collapses under the weight of his heartbreak, the beautiful boy he fell in love with so far beyond his help. Of all the god awful situations they've been in, Peter has always made it through. But now, out of all the things that could've killed him, it looks like it might be a fucking bank robbery. A stupid, mundane, preventable thing.

He can't breathe, chest tightening painfully against the panic that floods his veins, the thought of losing Peter too much to bear. It's too much, it's _too fucking much_.

FRIDAY must've alerted the team to his location, because suddenly there are strong arms around him.

"I've got you, I've got you - " it's Rhodey, hauling him up. "It's okay, we're here, it's going to be alright -"

He can hear someone sobbing. It's an awful sound, like pure heartache. It takes him a long moment to realize that he's the one making it as Rhodey helps him into a chair, the warmth of his hands managing to push back sterile scent of the ER surrounding them.

"Just keep breathing, that's right -" Rhodey is murmuring, hand warm on his back. He's been with Tony so long that it's not his first panic attack he's sat through with him, but it's by far the worst circumstance.

Natasha kneels in front of him, stroking his hand. Her eyes are shiny with unshed tears.  
  
"They've taken him into surgery, but that's all we know," she says, squeezing his hand. "Bruce is going to try to find out more and he's calling May. But Tony - Peter is so strong, okay? He's going to be okay, he won't -" her voice breaks. "He won't leave us, alright? He's going to come back, he'll come back for you. We're going to bring him home."

God, he hopes she's right. Because if she isn't, if Peter dies - 

Well, then Tony won't be far behind him.


	2. come home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dawn breaks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like it! My little angsty fluffy feels fix it. I haven't written any starker prior to this, but I'm hoping to do more and really sharpen up. Thank you for the comments and kudos <3

Tony has been thankful for his teammates - friends, no, fucking  _family_ \- many times over the years, but no more so than now. Pacing in the too brightly lit private waiting room of the hospital, they're all steadfast by his side - Nat, Bruce, Rhodey, Clint, Thor, Steve, even Bucky. The rest of the team is waiting anxiously back at the tower, holding down the fort. They haven't budged, haven't swayed. Tony's sure he'd have lost his damn mind more than he already has tonight if they weren't here keeping his feet on earth.

"Tony," Steve says softly, looking up at him from where he's seated, elbows resting on his knees. "Why don't you sit down? It's been three hours, have a drink of water, rest. You'll need your energy for when Peter gets out of surgery."

Thor nods encouragingly, shifting over on the couch to make room. "We all know our Peter will want to see you right away, no doubt with a good story to tell."

It would be sweet how hard they're trying to lift his spirits if he could even focus on what they're saying. As it is though, his ears are ringing with the constant panicked thrum of blood through his veins, heart pounding out _peterpeterpeterpeter_ endlessly.

The door to the room bursts open, a nurse belatedly trying to slow a distraught May Parker from entering the room. Tony sluggishly remembers that she had been out of town, that Bruce had told him a few hours ago that he was sending a plane to pick her up. It all feels like a drug induced nightmare - he would know, after all.

When Peter and Tony had first told May about their relationship, she had laughed, which had startled the both of them.

 _You think I wasn't expecting this?_ she had asked, raising her eyebrows. _I've had years to get over my hang ups, boys. Peter has been head over heels for you for so long and you proved who are to me, Tony. You're a good man, and I'm happy for you both._

The May from that night two years ago isn't the one in front of him now.

"Where is he?!" she demands, voice breaking. Her eyes are already red rimmed and puffy from crying, face heartbroken and splotchy from tears. 

Tony tries to get words to form, but he can't. The terror of losing Peter is clawing at his throat, hot and desperate and destructive. Bruce stands, hand gentle on Tony's back as he moves towards May.

"He's still in surgery, May," he says softly. "We're all just waiting, the doctors are doing everything they can -"

She hiccups a choked cry, brushing past Bruce and half collapsing into Tony, who catches her on instinct. She hits him in the chest, body shaking with the force of her terrified sobs. He doesn't know what strength in her she has that's keeping her upright in the face of losing the only family she has left, but it's in her and it's desperate to keep her together.

“Why didn’t you protect him, how could you not keep him safe -“  
  
She can’t get anything else out, sobs overtaking her as she hits Tony’s chest over and over again. He doesn't try to pull away, doesn't stop her. He can't even feel it, despite how hard she's hitting him. It all feels numb.

"- he _loves_ you, you're supposed to keep him _safe_ -"  
  
It breaks something in him, hearing what he's been berating himself with out loud. He covers his eyes with one hand, face crumbling. “I know, _I know_ \- May, I couldn’t - I didn’t do enough, I'm sorry -“ he looks up at the ceiling, eyes burning as he tries not to cry. He doesn't fucking deserve to, he thinks.  
  
She hiccups, shaking as she pushes back just enough to hit his chest again.  
  
“He loves you and you’re letting him die,” she chokes, face a mess of tears. “You let him down, and now he’s going to die -“  
  
“That’s not true,” Rhodey interjects softly, standing with a frown. But Tony just shakes his head, jaw tightening against the quiver in his lips.  
  
She’s right. He deserves it. He should’ve - somehow, he should’ve been there sooner. 

A doctor comes through the door then, startling the group into attention.

"He's out of surgery," she says without preamble. "We're not out of the woods, but he's made it this far and he's a fighter. He lost a lot of blood and the bullet did a lot of damage from such close range."

She pauses, letting out a breath. "If he makes it through the night then he'll live," she says quietly. "There's no doubt in my mind that he wants to stay. I can take you to him now, if you want."

Tony makes an aborted movement, but May holds a hand against his chest, stopping him.  
  
"No," she croaks, wiping roughly at her eyes. "No, you wait. I'm going to see him and you -" she tries to stifle another wrecked sob. "You can just wait."

Bruce makes a pained noise. "May, please -"

Tony swallows thickly, looking down. "Okay," he whispers, no fight left in him. "Alright."

May nods curtly, whatever semblance of control she gained from this comforting her to some degree. She doesn't say another word, the doctor leading her out to the recovery room.

There's a painful silence for a long moment in her wake.

"Tony - " Rhodey says gently, reaching out and squeezing his shoulder. "You know she didn't mean any of that, right? She's - she's scared and upset. None of this is your fault."

A humourless laugh escapes him, and he looks up to try to keep the tears from falling. "Save it," he says, jaw working as he fights the tears. "We all know she's right. I've been too fucking selfish to let him have what he deserves and kept him for myself and it's damn near killed him."

Surprisingly it's Bucky who stands up, striding forward and pushing Tony squarely in the chest. Everyone else immediately stands, a few concerned sounds slipping out.

"You listen to me," he says lowly, face a bare inch from Tony's. "That boy in there is fighting for his life and you want to know why? Because _you're in it_. Because he loves you, and he's decided that you deserve him. You better not waste that chance. I'm not going to sit back and listen to you blame yourself for this when Peter is in there clawing his way back to you because _you're the one who saved him_. He _loves_ you, Tony. So you need to pick yourself up and fight for him, too."

It rocks Tony to his core, and he finds himself stumbling a step backwards. He nods, swallowing against the lump in his throat.

He looks up at Bucky, at the people who have become his - no, _their_ \- family.

"For Peter," he says softly.

-

Almost 8 hours go by with nothing, the evening fading into dark night into pale dawn, the sounds of the hospital quieting around them. No one leaves, refusing to go home until they know Peter is stable and out of danger.

Finally, the door opens quietly, May coming back into the room. Tony is up immediately, sure he looks as exhausted and wrecked as she does, his jeans and worn Led Zeppelin shirt rumpled from hours of anxious pacing.

"Tony," she whispers, face crumpling into tears. "I'm so sorry for what I said, I - god, that was so awful and I - I'm so scared and I know you are too, I'm so -"

Tony just steps forward and pulls her tightly into his arms, hushing her gently. "I know, May," he murmurs, squeezing his eyes against the seemingly endless burn of tears. "I know, it's alright -"

"It's not alright, Tony - " she protests, the too kind, too apologetic streak running clear as day through the Parker family.

He pushes her back just enough to look at her. "Yes it is," he squeezes her shoulders. "You have to know I - god, May, I got there as fast as I could, I would do anything for it to have been me -" his voice breaks, and he swallows, looking down.

It's her turn to pull him in, small arms surprisingly strong around him.

"I _know_ that, Tony," she whispers tearfully. "And I'm so sorry for what I said. I know you'd do anything for him, and that you did everything you could. I know it, and he knows it."

There's a sniffle from behind them, Clint stubbornly wiping his eyes.

"Can I see him?" Tony asks, desperate to lay eyes on Peter, to see him whole.

May nods, taking his hand.

When Tony looks over his shoulder at the room, Rhodey waves him off. "We'll be here, go on."

-

Peter looks so fragile in the hospital bed, surrounded by wires and machines and sheets that are too white against his pale skin. His chest is bandaged tightly, pale blue hospital blanket resting undisturbed around his ribs. He's breathing on his own, though, eyes closed against the soft sunrise coming through the window.

"God, sweetheart," Tony whispers, kneeling next to the bed and taking Peter's hand - careful of the IV - and bringing it to his lips. "What've we gotten ourselves into this time, huh?"

Long fingers twitch against his lips.

"What took you so long?" comes a groggy rasp, and Tony's eyes snap up, meeting soft, tired, honey coloured eyes.

He can't help the sound that leaves him, all at once a relieved laugh and an elated sob as he drops his forehead to Peter's hand. He's shaking, tremors of relief flooding through him at the sound of Peter's voice, at the sight of life in his beautiful eyes.

"He woke up an hour ago," May says quietly, smiling at the obvious relief on her nephew's face. "Doctor says he's doing well - that accelerated healing sure comes in handy."

"I'm fine with no repeat performance of testing it out," Tony smiles tearfully, kissing Peter's hand again and again, his own hands too shaky to do anything else.

Peter makes a half frustrated, half whining sound. "C'mere," he grumbles. "Wanna see you, missed you -"

May lets herself out quietly, content to let them have their time together before everyone else inevitably fills the room.

"You _missed_ me, huh?" Tony sits carefully next to him on the bed, not bothering to wipe the relieved tears on his cheeks. "When did you find the time between getting shot, emergency surgery, and almost dying?"

"Shush," Peter murmurs, painkillers making his words soft and malleable. "Kiss me."

Tony huffs a little laugh. "Baby, you just got out of surgery -"

Peter pinches his arm with surprising force. "Kiss me."

"Ow - jesus, fine -" he leans down, catching Peter's waiting lips in a soft kiss. It feels like everything he's ever lost come back to him, every fear and terrifying thought seeping out of his bones and vaporizing into thin air.

Peter is alive. He's healing, he's _here_.

"Don't you ever do that to me again," he whispers, their foreheads pressed together. "Okay? I thought I _lost_ you, Pete, and I can't -" his voice breaks. "You're the one thing I can't live without, you hear me?"

Peter smiles, soft and warm and fucking _everything_. "I love you," he whispers. "I'm not going anywhere."

-

fin.


End file.
